Setup of a Kambo Ceremony
A typical Kambo altar setup with tools like the frog secretion stick, incense, crystals, and smudging materials. The ceremony begins with creating a sacred, safe space, often in a quiet indoor or outdoor area like a yoga studio, retreat center, or private home. Participants (usually 4-10 in a group, or one-on-one) arrive having fasted for 8-12 hours to prepare their bodies. The facilitator sets up an altar in the center, which may include items like Kambo sticks (dried frog secretion), a heated vine or incense stick for creating "gates" (burn points), buckets for purging, towels, water, herbal teas, and optional tools like feathers, crystals, sage or palo santo for smudging, and a kuripe or tepi pipe for rapé (hape'). Music instruments like rattles, drums, or icaros (shamanic songs) might be present for energetic support. The space is cleansed with smoke from sage or palo santo to clear negative energies, and participants sit in a circle around the altar. Intentions are often set here, with the facilitator explaining the process, risks, and obtaining consent.
The Service (Opening Ceremony)
Once settled, the facilitator opens with a prayer, meditation, or invocation to honor the frog spirit and indigenous traditions. This may include sharing circles where participants voice their intentions (e.g., healing, clarity, or release). In some ceremonies, complementary medicines like sananga (eye drops for vision and energy clearing) are offered first. The group builds a supportive atmosphere through breathing exercises or light chanting to ground everyone.
Administration of Hapé (Rapé)
A shaman administering rapé using a tepi pipe during a ceremony.
Rapé (pronounced "ha-peh"), a sacred snuff made from tobacco, tree ashes, and herbs, is often administered before or after Kambo to ground energy, clear the mind, or enhance the purge. The facilitator uses a tepi (long blowpipe) to blow the fine powder into each participant's nostrils—one side at a time—or participants self-administer with a kuripe (V-shaped pipe). You sit upright, focus on breath, and receive the rapé with intention. Effects include intense sinus clearing, grounding, and sometimes emotional release, lasting 5-15 minutes. It's optional but common in Kambo circles for synergy.
Administration of Kambo
Facilitator applying Kambo secretion to gates on a participant’s arm.
Participants drink 1-2 liters of water (or cassava tea) to facilitate purging, then set personal intentions. The facilitator creates "gates" by burning small points (3-7 for beginners) on the skin (upper arm/shoulder for men, lower leg/ankle for women) with a heated tamshi vine or incense stick—quick, superficial burns like mosquito bites. The top layer is scraped off, and reconstituted Kambo paste (mixed with water or saliva) is applied to the exposed dermis. Effects onset rapidly (1-5 minutes): facial flushing, heat rush, increased heart rate, nausea, and swelling.
The Purge Phase
Participants during the intense purge phase of a Kambo session.
This is the core: intense physical purging lasts 15-30 minutes. Participants may vomit into buckets, experience diarrhea (assisted to a bathroom if needed), sweat profusely, cry, or shake as toxins and energies release. The facilitator provides support—holding space, singing icaros, or using rapé to intensify the purge if stalled. Assistants monitor for safety, offering water or encouragement. It's visceral and communal, with the group energy aiding the process.
Savasana (Rest and Recovery)
A participant in savasana pose, resting after the purge.
After purging subsides (around 20-30 minutes), the Kambo is wiped off, and gates are sealed with dragon's blood resin for healing. Participants lie in savasana (corpse pose)—flat on their back, palms up, eyes closed—for 10-20 minutes to integrate the energy. Soft music or silence aids relaxation as the body recalibrates. Facilitators may offer gentle touch, energy work, or more rapé for grounding.
Integration and Closing
A group sharing circle for integration after the ceremony.
Once alert, participants sit in a circle for integration: sharing experiences, insights, or emotions. The facilitator guides reflections, offers advice on post-ceremony care (e.g., rest, hydration, light diet), and closes with a prayer or gratitude ritual. This fosters community and helps process the experience. The ceremony ends with smudging or a group hug, lasting 1-3 hours total. Participants leave feeling cleansed but advised to rest for 24-48 hours.